Writing a Paragraph

In this sub discussion you will be given step by step processes of writing paragraph:

a.      Topic Sentence

Every good paragraph has a topic sentence which clearly states the topic and the controlling idea of the paragraph. Oshima and Hogue (1983:6) state that topic sentence is helpful guide to both the writer and the reader. The writer can see what information to include (and what information to exclude) while the reader can see what the paragraph is going about.

There are three important points to remember about the topic sentence:

• A topic sentence is a complete sentence; that is, it contains a subject, a verb, and (usually) a complement.
• A topic sentence contains both a topic and a controlling idea. It names the topic and then limits the topic to a specific area to be discussed in the space of a single paragraph.
• A topic sentence gives only the main; therefore, it is the most general statement in the paragraph. It doesn’t give any specific details.

Example:  My room is very enjoyable for studying

Topic                  Controlling

b.      Supporting Sentences

After stating the topic sentence of the paragraph, now you try to develop it through providing it with supporting sentences. Supporting sentences should be related each other, and it develops only one main idea.

The following are some supporting sentences which can be drawn from the topic sentences:

Example:

–         My lovely room has 4 m² in width, and it is painted white.

–         The light is suitable for studying particularly reading and writing; furthermore, the chair makes me comfortable to sit all day long.

–         My room also has a small bookshelf in which all of my books are put.

–         The bookshelf is placed on the right side of the door, so it is reachable when I am sitting on my chair.

–         It also has good ventilation that makes air in my room always fresh.

c.      Concluding Sentence

Now you have known how to write a good topic sentence and its supporting sentences, you should also learn how to write a good concluding sentence. Oshima and Hogue (1983:12) state a concluding sentence is not absolutely necessary, but it is very often very helpful to the reader because it usually signals the end of the paragraph and because it reminds him/her of your important points.

In other words, a concluding sentence serves three purposes:

• It usually signals the end of the paragraph
• It summarizes the main points of the paragraph.
• It gives a final comment on your topic and leaves the reader with the most important ideas to think about.

A concluding sentence can be a paraphrase (i.e. repetition of the topic sentence in different words) of the topic sentence or summary which is not specifically stated in the topic sentence.

Example:    In summary, I love my room because it makes me comfortable and it motivates me to study.

After constructing topic sentence, supporting sentences, and concluding sentence, these three elements are further arranged into a paragraph. In arranging these elements, we, of course, have to consider the two additional elements (i.e. unity and coherence). The paragraph will be as follows:

Examples:

My Lovely Room

My room is very enjoyable for studying. My lovely room has 4 m² in width, and it is painted white. The light is suitable for studying particularly reading and writing; furthermore, the chair makes me comfortable. My room also has a small bookshelf in which all of my books are put. The bookshelf is placed on the right side of the door, so it is reachable when I am sitting on my chair. In spite of these, it also has good ventilation that makes air in my room always fresh. In summary, I love my room because it makes me comfortable, and it motivates me to study.

 

Exercises: Can you describe what you should do in writing a paragraph?